Ministry of Education Culture Research and Technology Hosted AIOU and UT Delegates

The business visit by the delegates from Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) to Universitas Terbuka (UT) from 31 July to 6 August 2022 has been well acknowledged by so much knowledge and experience sharing as well as exchange of information in education as well as culture of both countries. Total 11 delegates from AIOU, namely Prof. Zia Ul-Qayyum, Vice Chancellor AIOU; Dr. Zahid Majeed, Dr. Tanzila Nabeel, Dr. Saqib Riaz, Dr. Afshan Huma, Dr. Sana Ullah, Dr. Syed Imran Haider, Dr. Saleem Iqbal, Dr. Malik Ajmal Gulzar, Dr. Muhammad Majid M. Bagram, Rana Nadeem Anjum. The activity after the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Agreement het at UTCC, was the Head Office Tour (HOT) of the delegates to the Center of Teaching Materials Management, Library and Recording for Airing at UT Radio Station on the Center for Multimedia Development. On the second day of the visit, both institutions conducted sharing of knowledge, experiences and thoughts regarding the education programs in each institution by visiting 4 Faculties in UT. Both universities shared information on Quality Assurance in UT.

On Friday, 5 August 2022, UT facilitated the visit of the AIOU delegates to Ministry of Education Culture Research and Technology. UT’s Rector, Prof Ojat Darojat, M.Bus., Ph.D., introduced the AIOU delegates to Minister of Education Culture Research and Technology, who was, in the occasion, represented by Dei Pramono, the Minister’s Special Staff and Dr. Ir. Sri Gunani Partiwi, M.T., Acting Director of University Learning and Students Affairs. There were 9 members of the AIOU delegates who were present in the event without Prof. Zia Ul-Qayyum and Dr. Afshan Huma. In the meantime, from UT, accompanying the UT’s Rector, there were UT’s Vice Rector for Institutional Development and Partnership, Director of the Center for the Development of International Relations and Partnership (PPHIK), Officer in Charge of Protocols and International Affairs PPHIK, Marketing Coordinator of PPHIK and Protocol Staff PPHIK. There, the three institutions conducted comparative study, discussions on education policies and programs in Indonesia under the coordination of Ministry of Education Culture Research and Technology, starting from the curriculum management to the policies on universities or higher education. The discussion went on in family-like atmosphere and pleasantly. Both universities explained the close relationship between UT and AIOU which has long been and the future potential cooperation programs that can promote both countries’ education.

The day would not have been completely fulfilled if the delegates had not visited the Embassy of Pakistan in Jakarta prior to their return to UT’s Head office. AIOU Delegates and the UT’s team was hosted by the Embassy’s Muhammad Hassan together with his staff members in Kuningan, South Jakarta. Muhammad Hassan merupakan alumni dari AIOU. The three institutions discussed on the relationship of Indonesia and Pakistan that are the countries with Muslim majority population. There was also knowledge sharing on aspects that are managed by both universities with similarities in that both universities manage the same education system, which is open and distance learning.